Raise prices on parking first

High-occupancy lanes tend to penalize suburbanites who often have no choice but to drive into the city for work, while doing nothing to discourage the city dwellers who insist on driving around the downtown area, even though there is transit available.

Instead, why not increase taxes on parking everywhere in the city, and use the funds to pay for better transit throughout the GTHA? Some Torontonians already prefer transit as a way to avoid paying for parking. Their numbers would increase.

Faced with a high cost of parking, suburban commuters would begin car pooling soon enough. The HOV lane would not be necessary.

Expensive parking affects everyone equally and doesn’t favour the city dweller over the suburban commuterlett HOV lanes cost money to enforce. But higher taxes on parking could actually provide a “revenue tool” to pay for better transit.

And without better transit, our roads will continue to be hopelessly clogged, no matter what else we do.